Hockney Creates an Impression; DAVID HOCKNEY

Hockney Creates an Impression; DAVID HOCKNEY

Article excerpt

Byline: NINA CAPLAN

HOCKNEY has come home and Britain is celebrating. He might have ensconced himself in deepest Yorkshire but London is basking in reflected glory: it's still a hell of a lot closer than LA, where he has lived for the past 40 years.

There are two exhibitions, including one opening today; his book Secret Knowledge has been updated and, given the fuss the original caused (his theories about old masters' use of contemporary tricks of the trade were incorrectly taken as accusations of cheating), it will be interesting to see what new mischief Hockney has managed to make. He may choose to stir in a more dignified manner these days but the Bradford boy who made such a splash in the Sixties - literally, in the case of his vibrant oil paintings of swimming pools - is far from setting down his wooden spoon.

Even his recent decision to paint outdoors, like an Impressionist, is contentious-given art world sniffiness about good, old-fashioned painting.

The sniffers will have a hard time ignoring this new direction, though: these Yorkshire landscapes are big and they come in batches of six. …